start to finish training blog

I am starting this thread as a blog of my training from booking the CBT to passing my full bike test and buying my first bike.

Feb 14th (coped from cbt thread post)

Booked my CBT for sunday, just me and my wife on it I believe. Not sure if it's wise us both doing it together at the same time

We've both been driving for over 10 years and I cycle to work sometime so I'm used to road positioning, shoulder checks ect. We'll see if we can get to the end of the day without killing each other.

Feb 18th (copied from cbt thread post)

Well that is the CBT out the way. There was only me and my wife on it which was really good. We briefly went through the classroom stuff, since we've both been driving for so long it was pretty straight forward. Then we were taken to a nearby car park. It's pretty large and the trainer was saying it was inspected and approved and they have an agreement with the owner. Went through the usual controls, starting, stopping, bite point ect. Then onto some gear changes, and observations (life saver ect) finally emergency stops.

All that done then back to the shop to be radio'ed up. Then out we went. We both had a couple of stalls, but nothing to worry about. I found I kept forgetting that the indicator doesn't auto cancel, and I sometimes forgot which gear I was in. First half I led, second half she led. We had a short stop in the middle to discuss what we had done well and what not so well. Stuff like not doing a life saver check when avoiding parked cars was something I didn't think about.

I definitely feel like I could do with some more practice but I guess that's the whole point of being on L plates, you're not going to be ready for the test after one day.

I was swaying backwards and forwards all day to whether to get a 125 to practice on for a few months. But for the price of them, for how short a time I'd have it and for having to avoid a motorway part of my commute means I've booked my first proper lesson for next saturday. Made me feel good when the owner asked the cbt instructor if I should start on a big bike and he said "oh yea".

Doing it with my wife was actually really good, we were able to advise each other and were unusually supportive of each other

I think the plan going forward will be for me to do the lessons and tests the buy a bike. Once we've done that then I'll take my wife to the car park so she can do some pre-lesson practice so it takes her less time (and costs us less) when she comes to doing the full lessons. Can you be taught on your own bike, obviously if your insured? Can you get insurance if your not a bike school? She likes the idea of getting used to riding one bike.

March 12th

After a bit of a delay I did my first bike bike lesson at the weekend. I had hoped to do a lesson the weekend after my cbt but the trainer had a bit of a nightmare with the motor on his rollershutter packing up so he couldn't get the bikes out. Then the beast from the east hit so the weekend after that was also called off. So I had a three week gap between the CBT and first lesson. I booked a 2 hour because of the delay. I have bought my own helmet, boots and gloves by now and I am wearing my ski coat for the time being, not ideal but it's a lot to pull out in one go.

There was only me on the lesson, I don't know if its normal to do them 1-1 or whether there is often more, but I was pleased it was 1-1. The bike was a V-reg honda 600cc something, I'm not sure which one, i'll pay more attention next time. I got radio'ed up and started off just figuring out the biting point in the back lane, not moving more than half a bike length at a time while the trainer locked up. I was worried the clutch would be harder to control than it actually was.

So off we went straight onto the roads, initially the quiet residential local roads to get some confidence and get used to the bike. The same issue I had on my CBT raised it's head again, forgetting to turn the indicator off, I kept kicking myself whenever he told me. This became a regular thing for the first hour. I struggled with the indicator controls quite a bit mainly because I was expecting it to be cold so I had a thin set of gloves under my motorbike gloves which really hampered my control.

There were a couple of stalls and a couple of times were I found neutral rather than first, along with being a bit over cautious at some junctions, I was very aware than I needed to leave space for both of us to get out and me pulling away slower than most meant I was looking for much bigger gaps that I would in my car.

We stopped after about an hour and went through some things, obviously not turning the indicator off was the main one, We went through a couple of things in regards to my positioning at junctions, I was going too far forward making it difficult to pull away, get my balance and turn all in one go, if i held back by a bike length then I'd have more room. But over all he said the way I handled the bike he wouldn't have thought this was my first time on a bigger bike, which I was pretty pleased about. I took my inner gloves off which made a huge difference.

We set off again straight onto a national road which got a bit foggy so I didn't actually get upto 60 since it wasn't safe too and I got unlucky that I came upto a huge puddle blocking my entire lane at the same time a bus was coming the opposite direction so I had to slow right up. A bit more open roads, a few more local roads and I could feel myself getting more confident, I was getting into a habit of turning the indicator off, I only left it on once in the second half. I was counting the gears up and down so knew where I was coming upto junctions so only ended up in neutral once, but I was much quicker to recover. I was also a bit nervous going through gaps that a car wouldn't go through but a bike could, like when cars are parked both sides of the road, there isn't enough space for cars to pass each other, but there is for a bike and a car, I tended to sit back and wait rather than continuing on.

Once we got back to the lockup we had another chat, it was mostly good this time. I need to work on my gear control slowing down to a junction so I am in the correct gear for the speed and I am hitting first gear as I am coming to a stop. I can understand this because in my car is always use engine braking to slow down if i know I'm stopping at a red light so for example I'll stay in 4th until it hits the idle speed then i'll drop it down 2 or 3 gears at once. Obviously you don't do it like that on a bike, at least not while your learning. So the plan is one hour lesson on the road on Sunday, then a lesson on mod1 prep, book mod1, book mod 2 for a week or so later, with a lesson or two fitted around those.

There are plenty of availability for a mod2 test in mid April, so hopefully I will be done by then. We will see.

March 24th

Another weather delay. The mini beast from the east put pay to last weekends lesson, so it was a two week wait for this one. I booked on for saturday and another for sunday to try and catchup. Saturday's lesson was an hour on the road. Specifically working on slowing for junctions and observations to give the right amount of time to react to the environment. We stopped after the first half, had a chat. There was only one issue. One a hill start into a right hand junction, I was a bit too far forward so didn't leave much room to get my balance and then turn in so I was a bit close to the curb, I revved up too much and got a bit flustered which meant I forgot to cancel the indicator. So we set off again and straight away he had me pull into the side on a hill. Do my observations and then pull out. I did find it quite difficult since he was blocking my view, but I got out and away smoothly so it was fine. We got back and he said that's far and away your best ride so far, that level would be more than sufficient to pass the mod2 so I left very happy with myself.

March 25th

Mod1 training. I'd booked an hour at 1.30 but the instructor called and asked if i could come earlier since he had a family thing going on. He said there is two of you doing mod1 practice so we'll do it together than have yous out a bit longer so its fair. It wasn't a problem for me. Got there about 12.15, and we rode the bikes down to where I did the CBT. I knew exactly what to expect having watched various youtube videos on it. We started by the manually moving the bike. I'm not small but did find the weight of the bike quite difficult to move. Onto the slalom next, keeping it in first and bite point along, up and down afew times. Not a problem. Then figure of eight. I felt like I was doing this for ages while the instructor was talking to the other guy who seemed to be struggling a bit more. When he stopped me and came over he said the other guy said he didn't have to do it that tight did he. The instructor said no you can do much bigger circles. I knew you could but had no problem with it, I'll probably give myself a lot more space on the actual test. Next onto the straight line slow riding. Since I'd just been doing slow riding in the slalom and figure of 8 going to a straight line was easy. Then the U turn. This took a bit more practice. I didn't once put my foot down, and the marked out road is slightly narrower than the test space so that was good but this training area has a very slight incline, you could really tell when doing going with the incline or against it. Against it being a lot harder. The test site is totally flat so it should be fine. Finally onto the higher speed maneuvers, controlled stop, we'd doing it on the road before so that was just like replicating that, what I had been doing though was driving like a car. Clutch in down a gear clutch out, clutch in down a gear clutch out ect, instead I was told to clutch in and just click down gears as I needed. Second go was much better, it seemed weird that coasting is so frowned upon in cars and encouraged on bikes. Then the emergency stop, not hard, I didn't stall on either go. Finally the hazard avoidance, this was what i was most concerned about before starting but it was pretty easy. We finished just after 2 so about 90mins training and I feel ready to do the mod1 tomorrow.

Unfortunately the next available slot is april 19th looks like all the bad weather cancellations have had to be rearranged leaving very little. He's going to keep checking for cancellations. Not much else I can do at the moment.

April 17th

After what feels like forever I finally took my mod 1 today. Passed with 1 minor for doing 48kph rather than 50kph. Morning started by popping back down to redo the practice, since I hadn't done anything for over 3 weeks I felt rusty but quickly got back into it. What made me nervous was clipping a cone on the swerve exercise. I had approached it far too fast which didn't give me enough reaction time. After 4 or 5 extra attempts I had it nailed. Off the the test centre we went. Me following the instructor which felt absolutely fine. Couple of times we had a car or two get in between but I managed to catch up. Got there and went through the test. I'd watched quite a few youtube videos of the Mod1 so knew exactly what to expect, the guy was pretty much word for word to those. Test over and on our way back, this time me leading. All fine until I hit a bit of national dual carriage way, I was behind a car doing 50mph. Normally if I was in my car I'd be out and past but on the bike I still felt like a learner and still thinking about being in a convoy so I stayed behind. Similar on the next bit of the road a slow moving van holding 3 or 4 cars up, I got in the fast lane and a car got between me and the instructor so i tried to find a gap behind the van where there wasn't any. Instructor radioed through to go a head of him which again, if i was in my car by myself I wouldn't have though twice about doing. Got back and chatted through those things. Went home and booked my mod2 for the 2nd and one final lesson (unless something serious come up) this Sunday. CBT feels like a long time ago now but it'll only be 10 weeks between CBT and mod2 which I don't think is too bad considering the weather we've had in that time.

April 24th

had an hour lesson on sunday in preparation for the mod2, what a disaster. Turned left out of the first junction and as far too wide, its a bit tight and i was a bit rusty so let it pass. 2 minutes later a right turn at a mini roundabout, for some reason I went straight over the middle of it, I'd probably done that a thousand times in my car but you cant do that on lessons/test. Bit further on coming up to a set of lights on red, its a bit a of a hill start and I stall, the bike was probably in second. Next issue was turning right into a junction, just clipping the centre line, there was nothing coming out so no harm done, but again you cant do that. Next was turning left out of a T junction, I see a car coming indicating to turn into the junction, i hit the junction too fast so left myself no time to react and ended up coming to an abrupt stop. Next was turning left a set of lights, no matter what I did I couldn't get the bike into first from neutral, pulling and releasing the clutch didn't help, nearly missed that set of lights. Really not happy with myself, I am now not sure what to do, i had planned on that being my last lesson before the pre test lesson. Now I'm considering squeezing another one in.

May 2nd

Mod2 day. 2 hour slot booked to have time to do some warm up then the test then get back. The hour before felt great, next to nothing wrong, maybe moved across on around about slightly early but nothing to be overly concerned about. Got to the test centre and my nerves really kicked in, dry mouth the lot. Meet the examiner, lovely lady. Do the sight test and a few questions, all straight forward. On the bike and off we go. About 2 minutes in I'm told to pull over and we'll do the independent riding section, head towards Newcastle she said. So off we went, literally after the first round about she says ok now head towards gateshead, then the next roundabout, head towards consett. I found this really off putting, I thought it was a head towards somewhere and that's all you would hear, I know I didn't take any wrong turns. I get more and more relaxed until near the end where we hit a roundabout where the markings have nearly totally worn away, so I got a bit flustered and end up stalling. I quickly got started up again and away so I knew I was fine, just a minor. Get back to the test centre, I go inside and she comes in about 5mins later. Sorry to say you've not passed, she said did I know why, I thought it was to do with the stall because i thought I hit the indicators when i was flustered and I was supposed to be going straight over. Turned out I left my indicator on out of the first junction and over the first round about it must have been pure nerves having done it so early on, but I'd done it in my lessons before so I couldn't argue. Ride back was absolutely perfect my trainer said, typical

May 17th

Mod2 attempt 2. Ride through to the centre, perfect ride through, he couldn't fault it at all. I knew what to expect more now. Sight and questions all fine and off we go. I'm pressing the indicator cancel button 5 or 6 times after every junction and the same again 20 seconds later independent ride this time we head towards newcastle and it stayed as head towards newcastle so that was better. The only issue i thought was right at the end, the last T junction. Turning right onto it, the road bends round to the left. A bus went past and it looked clear so I pulled out, as soon as I did a black polo appeared from behind the bus coming towards me. It was close enough that the examiner couldn't get out so i thought, I know that was close I bet he fails me right at the end. We get back 20 seconds later and I go inside and wait what feels like an eternity, he asked how I thought that was ect making me wait to see if I'd passed. I did, I said I thought that car at the end was going to do it, and he said it was fine he would have went if it was him. So no minors and a nice pass

Now just need to get the finances together to buy a buy a bike, currently looking at a Honda CBR600F, would rather a Kawa ER6F but I think they are too new and will be out of my price range.

along with being a bit over cautious at some junctions, I was very aware than I needed to leave space for both of us to get out

Top write up - but just a note that in your test you are to ride only as if it was you, do NOT wait until gaps big enough for you and the examiner they will mark you down for it (I'm sure your instructor will tell you this once you're up to speed with the controls and stuff)

along with being a bit over cautious at some junctions, I was very aware than I needed to leave space for both of us to get out

 

Top write up - but just a note that in your test you are to ride only as if it was you, do NOT wait until gaps big enough for you and the examiner they will mark you down for it (I'm sure your instructor will tell you this once you're up to speed with the controls and stuff)

+1

Also. Your instructor is on a bike. It won’t take him long to get back behind you if he needs to. [emoji6][emoji1303]

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updated with this weekends lessons

another update, with mod1 test.

Passed!!

Great news! Well done.

Now go buy yourself a bike

Top stuff mate! The CBR would keep you entertained longer than an ER6 imo

Congrats! Get the CBR, you know it makes sense

Well done